Trucks and cabs pull trailers that often have tarp systems. Tarps are well known for covering contents of a container of the trailers during transport. A tarp system with a movable tarp, such as a roll tarp, is adapted to cover contents of a container.
Power solutions for tarp operation are important for safety and efficiency. One goal is to keep the trailer operators in the cab or on the ground, rather than manually rolling and unrolling the tarp from a catwalk on the front of a container. Remote operation has been a desirable option on power solutions to enhance operator safety and efficiency. Fully automatic operation can greatly improve efficiency and further prevent undesirable operation introduced by an operator.
Apparatus have been devised for covering a truck load. Some such apparatus include an electric motor for selectively winding a flexible cover. U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,955 provides a truck cover that may be motor-operated from the cab of a truck to extend the cover from a winding assembly proximate the front of the truck bed and forward the rear of the truck bed. It discloses a direct drive spool winding system with an automatic self-brake feature with the 90 degree relationship of the worm gear with respect to the drive bolt threads.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,819 discloses an electric tarp system with a direct-drive actuator assembly that actuates a tarp spool for a truck bed tarp system. An output shaft extends from a transmission housing for driving a tarp spool. An electric motor is operatively connected to an input shaft for actuating the tarp spool. A brake is operatively connected to the electric motor for automatically braking the motor when the electric motor is turned off. A brake motor is used with a transmission having high efficiency gears that are not self-braking.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,207 entitled “Demountable drive mechanism” has some suggestions about remote control to control operation of an electric motor for a tarp system. FIG. 25 shows a wireless remote control unit that is installed to operate the drive mechanism via wireless remote switching. The wireless remote receiver and controller 741 is typically mounted adjacent the geared motor 200 and the battery 136 on the truck or trailer chassis. The wireless controller is provided with 12 volt power from the battery 136 of the drive mechanism. The harness connectors 742 and 743 connecting the remote keypad 169 to the geared motor 200 is routed via the wireless controller 741. A small wireless transmitter 744 is used in conjunction with the wireless remote receiver and controller 741. Typically, the transmitter 744 may be stored on an operator's key ring or the like.
The operation of the wireless remote embodiment is achieved by depressing the buttons on the transmitter 744. The wireless controller 741 receives the signal. The controller 741 incorporates electronic circuitry, which was of standard technology known in the industry at that time. It activates the device by mimicking the remote keypad 169 functionally. Electric motor current can be measured by a standard shunt circuit, and rapid increases in electric motor current shut down the motor to stop operation of a tarp system.
For a RAZOR wireless remote controller for a truck cover, one version of the “RAZOR Power Tarp Operating Instructions” includes button operation, but a Note states the “wireless remote operates off a momentary signal. The buttons are not to be held for longer than 2 seconds at a time as this may cause the remote to become inoperable.” The remote control operates with a press and release a button to start and press and release opposite button to stop.
Automobile windows (using lower amps) have been developed for various phases for controlling a passenger window. Window button have touches permitting short incremental movement of the window and the entire cycle in one operation to allow a window or go completely up or down. Also, window systems have overcurrent shut-down when something obstructs the window movement.
Several U.S. Patents may relate to 12 and 24 volt motor controller modules including:                U.S. Pat. No. 7,672,106 Switching incandescent lamps and other variable resistance loads with a solid state, smart, high side driver having overcurrent and temperature sensing protection circuits,        U.S. Pat. No. 7,468,876 Safety switch,        U.S. Pat. No. 7,453,224 Sensing mechanical transitions from current of motor driving hydraulic pump or other mechanism, and        U.S. Pat. No. 7,408,274 Control and operating condition monitoring of dual series switch contactors for electric motor or other electrical loads.        
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 8,058,700 applies to a 24 volt motor control module regarding surge overcurrent protection for solid state, smart, high current, power switches.